The present invention relates to a closure device particularly for rear-entry ski boots.
Numerous kinds of levers suitable to allow for example the closure of one or two quarters of a ski boot by means of a cable or a strap are currently known.
In the specific case of rear-entry ski boots, it is observed, in known levers, that the temporary or fixed coupling point between a cable and the lever is in any case located at a given distance with respect to the pivoting axis of said lever: this arrangement in fact allows to release a given length of cable which is necessary to allow the optimum opening of the quarters.
Known devices therefore use, for this purpose, levers which have such dimensions as to affect most of the rear quarter; these devices are cumbersome and require very long cables that must be taken up entirely in order to close the quarters.
Furthermore, the length of the cables is such that when the quarters are moved close together, prior to the actuation of the lever said cables are slack, resulting in a very poor aesthetic appearance of the boot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,454 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,042, for example, disclose closure systems of the above type.
Another disadvantage observed in known devices for the closure of boot quarters is constituted by the fact that if the skier removes the skis and is forced to walk, as in the case in which he must queue to gain access to a ski-lift in which the skis are stored separately or held in one's hands, the opening of the levers entails the total opening of the quarters, and consequently the foot can accidentally slip off the boot.
Devices are finally known which comprise means adapted to keep the rear quarter locked with respect to the shell or to release the two with respect to one another so as to allow the opening of the rear quarter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,676 discloses a front-entry ski boot provided with a rocker pivoted to the rear quarter and adapted to release the rear quarter for walking.
These devices, however, do not allow to select the degree of opening of the quarter or upper quarter and therefore do not allow the skier to walk optimally.